


I was getting used to being someone you loved

by Kissmekate_m



Category: Grace and Frankie (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 00:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21365242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kissmekate_m/pseuds/Kissmekate_m
Summary: A friend suggested I write something based around the song title.  And I kind of liked the idea of Grace being a bit of a "cougar" back in the day.  Plus it's super cold and rainy at my house so I'm blaming this crazy Grace/Coyote pairing on the copious amounts of cold medicine I've been taking...😎😏😏🔥Timeline wise, this is an alternative ending to Season 5/possible opening sequence for season 6.
Relationships: Frankie Bergstein/Grace Hanson
Kudos: 8





	I was getting used to being someone you loved

Grace heard herself say to Nick, "are you serious?" as the memory of asking a different man that same question in response to "will you marry me?" floated through her mind.

But this was Nick, and he was younger than her yes, but he was also a full grown man, not a young man barely out of his teens.

So she bit back her "I'm too old for you, this won't work" response and said "yes".

"I married Nick last night" whispered Grace, hoping and dreading that Frankie didn't know about, or remember, the previous time Grace had worn a ring given to her by a much younger man, although this time it was a wedding ring, not just a promise ring. Grace smiled ruefully at the distinction, she was already beginning to regret, as it was technically easier to break a theoretical promise than actual wedding vows, but she should have still said no a second time. That and Frankie tolerated Nick, but loved Coyote. "And yet ...provided Grace's brain uphelpfully, it's not like you and Frankie were graceandfrankie back then when Coyote slipped a ring on your finger". "Hell, neither of us were sober back then either". 

"Really? You married Nick when you were drunk? That's just perfect. At least free vibrators and donuts is a fun promise to make while high, but getting married is some next level shit" said Frankie. Although the words were harsh, the sentiment was more resigned, it was a continuation of their earlier argument, a sort of one off acknowledgement of the elephant in the room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I said that last bit out loud" whispered Grace. Clearing her throat, she added "I wasn't completely drunk when I married Nick, but I wasn't sober either. I should have said no. But you and had just had a huge fight and he's not ..."

"Coyote. I know." said Frankie finishing Grace's sentence.

"How do you...Grace sighed, …of course he told you…"

Frankie stood up at that point, helped Grace up, and started walking toward the beach house as her words floated back to Grace, "Well technically you just confirmed it. I hadn't really thought about it until just now. It makes sense though, you are just...so you. But yes, there was a point, back in the day, when he was obviously nursing a broken heart over a woman, a mother knows these things, he may have mentioned that, yes, he was heart broken, but not over a girl, she was a woman…" Frankie trailed off as her as she took a stroll down memory lane and began connecting the dots. "So...are you in love this time or are you just channeling your inner Mrs. Robinson again?" "Too soon?" added Frankie snarkily.

Grace sighed and picked up her pace despite the pain in her knee, so she was standing next to Frankie. Reaching out she touched Frankie's shoulder to stop their movement and turned her body so she was looking Frankie eye to eye. "Honestly? I don't know how to answer that. When Coyote slipped the ring on my finger and said will you marry me? I took it right back off and told him no. He had just turned 21. So yeah sure, it was fun taking him clubbing, if you will, but I was Mallory's mom, I was his cool aunt or whatever, I guess I kind of knew he liked me, but I was surprised to find out he liked me like that... I do remember being sober enough to tell him he was obviously drunk and misguided. He said at least think about it? Wear the ring for a bit? I said I'm married, but you're cute, and very young, and quite seriously delusional, then I thought what the hell.. and I just slipped the ring on my right hand... One week…" Grace sighed, and looked down, breaking eye contact, " as it turns out my reluctance to break my marriage vows was one sided" chuckled Grace ruefully.

Turning her head toward the ocean, Frankie whispered "were you guys ever… I mean I'm assuming you mean breaking the marriage vows was one sided on Robert's part…"

"Do you really want to know?"

"No" 

"No" 

Grace touched Frankie's shoulder again, it was important for her to have Frankie's full attention for this conversation, "Honestly??? I hadn't thought about any of this for many years. I mean I kind of did when I first met Nick because yes, there's a certain thank you for the compliment vibe/response there, but at the end of the day, Coyote was so young, he was infatuated, and I admit, I was flattered, and lonely, so yes, I let him buy me a drink, or two, or three...and I didn't exactly say no to his initial (air quotes) "endeavors" to get to know me, but I very firmly said no to "that". Plus even though you and I were obviously not "us" in the "now" sense of us, or even friends at that point, he was your son, and oh gawd, he was my daughter's age…" Grace sighed and looked off toward the ocean before turning back to face Frankie. "So he told you? Or he at least told you something about me right? asked Grace quizzically, "he swore me to secrecy, and once he got sober for real this last time, we had a good laugh, made our peace, and moved on."

Frankie turned to look at Grace, but didn't quite meet her eye, "you're right, I am his mother, and there was no "us" back in the day. But like I said, he told me...about an older woman he was pretty sure was gonna break his heart, because she was married, but her husband was a dick, and didn't love her or treat her right. Later on, he told me he was denied, which is the male equivalent of always the bridesmaid…plus, he said being friend zoned wasn't so bad, and honestly should have just stayed in the zone to begin with."

"It was a long time ago Frankie, I was a stereotypical country club wife…"

"Well not too stereotypical because you and I both got replaced by a trophy husband…. *Under her breath* looks like that's twice for me now though…"

For a moment Grace just stared at Frankie, trying to decide how she felt about Nick being a trophy husband and the idea that Frankie considered Grace marrying Nick a marriage level betrayal. Although reminded her brain, she kind of already knew.

As Grace straightened her spine as was her habit before announcing she had made a major decision, Frankie seemed to shrink back into herself. "Oh shit, here comes the third revelation in this weird conversation" thought Frankie as she mentally prepared for another shock. Grace didn't disappoint her.

"I'm going to have my marriage annulled. I don't want to break up with Nick, but I don't want to be married to him either, if that makes sense. 

"So I guess I'm supposed to be flattered that you gave my son a week, and me 5 years before you went all "This is Where I Leave You", or maybe I'm mixing my movie metaphors up and this is some sort of weird hybrid Carol moment? Although honestly this sort of feels like I'm Alice and I'm gonna wake up from a dream to find you in the shower, or sitting next to me in bed telling me about living in Vermont and running a ski resort with some crazy dude named Larry and both his brothers named Darryl." "Ugh, it would have to be Vermont.." Shaking off that train of thought, Frankie broke into a smile, and some of the tension lifted as she added, " and you my lovely, pop culturally clueless, Grace Hanson, have no idea what I'm talking about do you?"

"Okay so surprisingly, I actually get both of those references, and I will raise the ante by saying I just realized you compared me to two very different men named Robert while discussing me moving on from my husband, er, ex husband, Robert. And there was probably some inarticulate reference to Bernie or Ben and Jerry's ice cream in there with the Vermont comment…"

Frankie smiled at Grace and her eyes sparkled mischievously as she said "actually I was kind of thinking Suzanne Pleshette and I both have amazing hair, that you as a blonde, fail to fully appreciate…."

Grace smiled at that and it finally reached her eyes, as she commented, "there's the Frankie I've been missing since I came running across the beach like I was in a bad Hallmark movie…."

Frankie grew pensive once again, "yeah, which is also when you showed me your wedding ring, Mrs. Skolka"

"Frankie... I'm sorry. I should have said no. Let me make it up to you…"

"I truly love Coyote, and I sort of tolerated Nick, until today anyway, but I don't want to see him hurt either ...so go...work it out with him. Then when you come back maybe we can discuss moving to Vermont, getting jobs at the Ben and Jerry's factory, and campaigning for Bernie, plus Vermont has cheese.. "said Frankie wistfully.

"Thank God, there for a moment I thought you were gonna suggest we shower together or something…" quipped Grace.

Well...A. obviously there's still a fucking drought, duh. And B. I didn't say no, I just said work your shit out with your soon to be ex husband first, and then get back to me…"

At that Grace burst out laughing. Then taking Frankie's hand in her own she said, "come on Francis let's go home…"


End file.
